Tenant & Building Security

I don’t own any buildings in rough areas, but security is still important.  Today, I am going to talk about a few of the products we use at the Vandelay Group LLC for building security.  I will discuss “THE THREE Ls”: Lighting, Locks, and Landscaping.  Just a reminder that all of my SKUs are from Home Depot.  You can buy similar products at most home improvement stores.

244-791 Zenith 240° Bronze Dual Bright Motion Light (This product is used on garages, the sides of buildings/houses, and to illuminate backyards.)

446-302 Philips Energy Saver CFL outdoor flood lights (Technology has gotten better and CFLs are no a viable light no matter what climate you are in.)

196-629 Commercial Electric Twin Pack Exterior Porch Lights (I Love CE and this twin pack is decent quality for a good looking product.)

847-906 Screw in Photo Control (This photo control is CFL compatible and allows you to finally use energy efficient bulbs in your porch lights!)

Light is the biggest deterrent for thieves and criminals.  Depending on the quality and type of rental, you want to strike a balance between not enough lighting and having the place look like a BP gas station.  The worse the neighborhood is, the more lighting you should employ.

Who pays the energy bills at your rentals?  My portfolio is composed of mostly four and five unit buildings.  Each of these buildings has a public meter where I pay for the hallway and exterior lighting.  While all of these lights are great for safety, they also can cut into your profit.  Make sure you have the most energy efficient bulbs and fixtures.  This will reduce your energy cost and maintenance time (most high efficiency bulbs last longer).

If there is hallway lighting in your building, I recommend you have it all wired to a photo cell so your lighting is activated by outside conditions.  If you use light switches, tenants will leave them on.  If it is too expensive or not possible to run a photo cell, the next best option is to use a timer switch.  I use these in all of my laundry rooms.  Stay away from motion sensors because they do not work well with CFL bulbs.

827-621 32”X80” Steel 6 Panel Door (This is a common size.  Find the right door for your opening.  I use these doors on both the entry doors and the unit door.)

667-219 Hole Filler Plate (used to fill deadbolt hole when installing a common door in a multi-family)

567-418 Kwikset Single Cylinder Dead Bolt (Good basic lock.  Double cylinder locks are illegal in many municipalities)

460-395 Kwikset Keyed Entry Lock (Used for the common door lock)

292-476 Schlage Door Chain Guard (Use this if you are keeping a wood entry door to the unit)

Locks and doors are important because using low quality components jeopardizes security and costs you money in maintenance.  These entry level Kwiksets are the lowest grade of lock I would use.  If you are looking for something of higher quality, go with the brand US LOCK.  These are four times as expensive but many feel it is worth it.

Even if you are just buying your first rental, do yourself a favor, MASTER KEY YOUR LOCKS!  I originally did not do this.  For the first year of my business I carried around a huge box full of keys.  This is not cool.  A one key fits all scenario is much better.  You can also get your padlocks master keyed.  All of this saves time and makes you’re a more efficient property manager.

The best advice I can give is about lockouts.  You should have a clause in your rental agreement about a lockout fee.  It does make me money, but it always sucks to have to go down at odd hours to unlock doors.  Solve this by only using a deadbolt and just use a pasage knob for the bottom.  This way your tenant will not be able to twist the lock and close the door leaving their keys inside the unit.

 LANDSCAPING

 The way your property is landscaped can also help protect your property and tenants.  Since climates vary, you should talk to your local garden center.  This article should help you with the basics.